Means of escape from mezzanine floors

November 30, 2010

How many staircases should I have and where should they be?

Mezzanine floor staircase

The requirements for the provision of means of escape from a mezzanine floor are set out in the Building Regulations, Part B2 fire safety. The latest edition can accessed free online and downloaded as a pdf from the Governments planning portal, www.planningportal.gov.uk

Generalising, the larger the mezzanine, and the more people occupy it, the more and larger the stairs required. Staircase quantities and positioning within a new project will be influenced by the existing layout of the building and fire exits.

Single staircases are acceptable in the smallest applications, however many people prefer a second escape even from a small mezzanine if they can afford the space needed to fit a second staircase. The loss of mezzanine and ground floor space in these instances can be reduced by using spiral staircases.

Often buildings may have an existing traditionally built two storey office into which a new door opening can be broken to utilise the existing staircase as one means of escape. Care should be taken to ensure that such a new door and frame offers the necessary level of fire protection to match the compartment wall itself. Such a means of escape has the additional benefit that one staircase is effectively already a protected route.

Care must be taken that further staircases do not discharge too closely as they will then risk being regarded as a single means of escape.

Acceptable travel distances are set out in tabular form within the approved document and vary depending upon the use of the building and the fire risk associated with it.

All these factors will be considered by your professional mezzanine floor supplier when a design is being developed, and should be taken into account alongside the operational factors dictating the desirable location of staircases for mezzanine flooring.

Mezzanine floor guidance and advice

For further advice regarding the design of your mezzanine floors, call Llonsson Ltd on 01883 622068